Justice News

Indiana Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison

For Firearms Violations

SOUTH BEND – Peter Rink, 41 years old, of LaPaz, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after entering a plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to possessing a shotgun having a barrel of less than 18 inches in length, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Rink was sentenced to 51 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.

According to documents filed in the case, Rink was driving a vehicle with a woman who was trying to flee from police. When the vehicle was stopped by police, police found in the vehicle a loaded 12-gauge shotgun with a sawed-off barrel and a loaded 9mm pistol. Rink admitted that he possessed the two firearms despite having a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault in Arizona. The shotgun had a sawed-off barrel that had been shortened to a length in violation of the National Firearms Act. Rink admitted to sawing off the barrel himself. The shotgun and pistol were located on the rear seat of the vehicle in a backpack which also contained methamphetamine, a scale, plastic baggies, and other drug paraphernalia.

This case was investigated by ATF with the assistance of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department and the Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.